A Royal Play Date
by IanMcKellensSass
Summary: Elves and Dwarves have never gotten along but after some thinking, maybe the little ones of each race can get along better than their elders. Thranduil arranges for Legolas to have a little play date with the youngest of the line of Durin. Cute and short little story.
1. Little Ones

Dwarves and Elves have always been competitive towards one another. There has always been this need to prove to the other that one of their races was superior to the other. The Dwarves were strong despite their size and to them Elves were just floaty girls (whether they were male or female)with pretty hair and spoke some fancy language and of course only ate the finest and healthiest of foods. Elves were proud and graceful and what repulsed them about the Dwarves were their lack of manners. They were also not to fond of the way every dwarf seemed to posses enough bodily hair to make a huge bear. No matter the strength of each race, they still found something or other to make snide comments about.

Now was different though, Elves and Dwarves hoped to mend some of their differences by letting the younglings interact. The King of Mirkwood, Thranduil ,had arranged for Thorin to bring his nephews around for a 'play date' with Legolas. Hopefully the younglings will get along and will be less likely to resent the other race as they get older.

Thranduil was walking around the halls of Mirkwood, he would soon have to wake Legolas from his nap so that he was ready for his 'play date'. Walking around to Legolas' nursery, Thranduil gracefully stepped into the room and strode over to the cot where Legolas was sleeping. The small toddler was curled up in a forest green blanket, his slowly growing longer blonde hair was spread on his little pillow. Legolas' tiny hands were wrapped around his elk teddy that he adored so much. Looking down at his son, Thranduil knew how very lucky he was to have him. Gently lowering his hand down into Legolas' cot Thranduil ran his long fingers across the Elfling's hair and cheek. Legolas began to stir and become agitated, which wasn't uncommon for him to be a bit grumpy when woken from his naps.

Thranduil lowered both of his hands into the cot to pick up Legolas gently and then placing him on his chest with his head resting on Thranduil's shoulder. Thranduil began to rub Legolas' back quietly asking him to wake up. Legolas began to stir and opened his eyes to reveal their piercing blue.

Thranduil smiled down at him ''Come now little one, stay awake for ada.''

Legolas took his head off his father's shoulder and began to push back on it, in the rubbish attempt to escape Thranduil and return to napping. ''No, I want nap.''

Thranduil chuckled and began to walk off with the toddler, still held in his arms. Legolas started squirming in Thranduil's hold but Thranduil's grip was like iron so his efforts were useless. ''Ada no, Aras!'' Legolas shouted.

Thranduil turned to look back into the nursery, seeing what Legolas desired was his elk teddy. Thranduil quickly fetched it and handed it to Legolas, who took it eagerly and gave it a tight hug. Now that Legolas was reunited with Aras, he stopped squirming and was happy to let Thranduil take him wherever.

On arriving in the throne room, Thranduil sat upon his throne with Legolas on his lap, playing with his teddy while Thranduil quickly ran his finger through his son's hair to get out any tangles.

The Dwarves should arriving soon, hopefully the little Dwarflings won't be too much of a handful. He knew it was stupid as soon as he thought it. After a fairly long wait, seeing as how the Dwarves were late, Thranduil was becoming a little annoyed and it was now hard to keep Legolas from curling up on his lap and falling asleep.

Luckily for Thranduil he didn't need to be put through waking up a grumpy Elfling again, as the Dwarves arrived soon after Thranduil became impatient. Thorin strolled into the throne room with his too little nephews running amuck in front of him, _oh for the love of the Valar, do the Dwarflings have mud on their boots?!' _Thranduil sighed, this was going to end with a very muddy palace and possibly a few broken heirlooms.

Thranduil picked Legolas up off his lap and moved down the stairs from his throne; his icy gaze fixed on Thorin. Once down the stairs, he let his little Elfling toddle off towards the two Dwarfling's, Fili and Kili who seemed to take an instant liking to Legolas, who still was holding Aras to his little chest.

''I am glad you agreed to this Thorin.'' Thranduil spoke, he stood straight and tall to further show that he was the powerful one here and to show off his imposing height.

Thorin glared up at him ''I think it's too late for us, so why not give it a chance with the little ones? Besides, my nephews are quite the handful so I will enjoy watching them brake some of the Elven rubbish you call 'art'.

Thranduil gave a smirk ''I wouldn't expect Dwarves to know art when they see it.'

There was then some further intense glaring shared between the two of them but it was soon broken by the sound of the younglings laughter.

Legolas and Kili were running around while Fili chased them making monster sounds. Occasionally the younger Dwarf and Elf would find a hiding spot behind a pillar but would start giggling, which would lead Fili to their hiding spot, where he would poke his head around and growl, watching as Legolas and Kili ran off giggling even more.

Thranduil and Thorin couldn't help but smile at the sight of the little ones playing so happily together. As soon as they looked to each other the smiles soon faded though and both of them returned to their cold selves.

Looking back to see the little ones, both of the Dwarflings and Legolas had disappeared through the throne room doors.

Thranduil gave an inaudible sigh ''Come Thorin, let us leave the little ones to play.''


	2. Cakes

Legolas and the two Dwarflings were running around happily through the halls of Mirkwood. Eventually they became tired of running around and ended up sitting in the middle of one of the halls near the kitchen. There was a faint scent of fresh cakes wafting under the little ones noses.

''What smells so yummy?'' Fili said.

Legolas pointed down the corridor with one of his tiny fingers ''Kitchen down there.''

The two Dwarfling's look at each other excitedly ''Could we go there?'' Kili asked, his big brown eyes widening.

Legolas looked at the two curiously before his little face broke into a big smile and he nodded eagerly ''Okay.''

The little Elfling led the Dwarfling's down the corridor so that they were by the slightly open kitchen door. Inside there was Elves rushing around making various foods of all kinds.

Fili slipped in through the slightly opened door, then Kili followed and then Legolas. Fili ushered the younger too around so that they were near where the cakes were sitting enticing them in. Fili looked down at his younger brother and Legolas before looking up at the counter where the yummy cakes were sitting.

Fili then came up with a plan, he took one of the spare aprons of the side, while managing to avoid an Elf maid that was rushing around. He gave the Apron to Legolas and told him to hold out the apron. Legolas put down his beloved Aras and opened out the apron as wide as he could with his little arms. Once Legolas had done his job Fili then looked to his little brother and they gave each other a cheeky smile before Fili gave Kili a boost so that he was on level with the cakes.

Kili then began to sneakily throw cakes down into the open Apron Legolas was holding. After there were about a dozen fairly large cakes in the apron. Kili jumped down from his brother's boost and the two Dwarfling's began to help Legolas fold the cakes up into the apron. After the task was completed, Fili took the cargo and Legolas quickly picked Aras up into his arms again before they quickly ran off into the direction of Legolas' nursery.

Thranduil and Thorin had managed to have a somewhat civilized conversation but they had decided it was about time to check up on the little ones to make sure they hadn't got up to too much mischief. Thranduil' s first guess as to where they would be, was Legolas' nursery.

Upon arriving at the nusery and stepping inside, it seems Thranduil was right as Legolas' elk teddy, Aras was on the floor but with no sight of Legolas which was strange as Aras was usually always near Legolas' side. Strolling further into the nursery, closely followed by Thorin, it appeared the little ones were here after all.

When Thranduil stood perfectly still, Thorin soon came to stand next to him to see what he was looking at. As both of them looked down at the nursery floor they took in an adorable sight.

Fili, Kili and Legolas were all curled up together on one of the rugs, sleeping peacefully and looking around at the surrounding floor and at the little ones themselves it soon became clear that they went on a little adventure to the kitchen.

Around the little huddle of toddlers was cake crumbs everywhere and on the faces of the little ones, they had bits of icing around there mouths with the occasional few crumbs that have managed to get stuck too.

Thranduil couldn't help but chuckle at the sight ''It appears our races can get along after all.''


End file.
